Brexit is already having an impact on the availability of staff from a wide spectrum of industries.
The net migration of EU nationals to the UK fell by 75,000 in the year ending in September 2017. Of those coming to work, there was a drop of 58,000 from the EU.
The president of the hotel association HOSPA, Harry Murray MBE, says that some extra efforts are needed to attract homegrown talent to make up for the shortfall. Organisations representing industries where Brexit poses a serious staffing problem need to take on the role of educating people about the careers and opportunities on offer.
Wide-ranging impact
The hospitality industry isn’t just impacted by a reduction in potential hotel and catering staff. Kitchen equipment needs to be maintained, too. Cooker, dishwasher or display freezer engineers are vital to keep a hotel restaurant or work’s canteen running smoothly, and Brexit can impact catering equipment specialists such as https://www.fridgefreezerdirect.co.uk/glass-door-refrigeration/single-glass-door-freezers Fridge Freezer Direct.
Despite Brexit, tourism is still healthy in the UK. Murray points to events in the past five years such as the Ryder Cup, the Rugby World Cup, the Olympics, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and the Royal Wedding, which have all brought large numbers of tourists to the UK. With EU workers making up 15 per cent of the workforce in the hospitality sector according to statistics from UK Hospitality, a reduction in migrant workers will cause a serious problem.
Attracting people back to work
The only solution is to find successful ways in which to attract more people to work from within the UK, and the focus should be placed on students and on people looking to return to work after a career break. The re-education about joining the hospitality industry should start with teachers and parents, Murray says.
Attracting talent to make their life career in hospitality begins with a change in attitudes from an early age. There should be a focus on students and also on mature workers who are looking to return to work after a career break. With the average age of the working population increasing, the availability of mature workers is on the rise. It’s also time for a greater focus on finding incentives for talented individuals who are already working in the industry.
